JAPANESE SPIES AT SYDNEY

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 34, 8 February 1906, Page 5

JAPANESE SPIES AT SYDNEY

PLANS OF FORTIFICATIONS FOUND.

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Codstls&M

SYDNEY, Ifebniary 7. Mr. Ewing, Vice-President -of .the 'Executive Council, who attends -to matters appertaining to defence, was asked today whether he had any official knowledge of the-seizure of plans of Sydney Harbour and fortifications, found .in the possession of tyro foreigners at Thursday Island. Mr. Ewing stated that he had not yet received official information on the subject, though he would not say ifc was not j known to him. According to information received by a prominent citizen of Sydney from Thursday Island, rather a startling discovery i has been made by officials there in quite ■an accidental way. j On the last trip of the Messageries Maritimee steamer Australien two Japanese passengers, who passed as merchants, , missed the boat when it resumed its voyage. Their luggage having been left aboard, they telegraphed to have it put ashore at Port Darwin, and they would follow in the next boat. The luggage, howj ever, was put ashore at Goode Island, where the Customs officials discovered I amongst the so-called merchants' effects complete plans of Sydney Harbour and fortifications.